As Fantasy Premier League managers can now select their 15-man squads, The Scout analyses standout budget and premium players in each position.
Mohamed Salah (LIV) £12.5m
Liverpool have one of the most favourable schedules over the opening Gameweeks.
Jurgen Klopp’s side face only two of last season's top eight teams in their first eight matches, while they meet all three promoted sides.
According to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), five of those encounters score only two.
Liverpool’s first eight Gameweeks
| GW | Opponent | FDR | GW | Opponent | FDR |
| 1 | NOR (A) | 2 | 5 | CRY (H) | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | BUR (H) | 2 | 6 | BRE (A) | 2 |
| 3 | CHE (H) | 4 | 7 | MCI (H) | 4 |
| 4 | LEE (A) | 3 | 8 | WAT (A) | 2 |
Salah finished as the third top-scoring player in Fantasy last term on 231 points, thanks to 22 goals and six assists.
The Egyptian has established himself as one of the most reliable players in the game since joining Liverpool.
He has produced more than 230 points in each of his four seasons with the Reds.
Salah’s appeal is also boosted by his lack of international action over the summer, at a time when many other premium options in Fantasy took part in UEFA Euro 2020.
Salah's 2020/21 highlights
That is reflected in his popularity, with an ownership of 49.7 per cent making him the most-selected player in the game.
Salah's goal threat, in particular, shows why it could be a big mistake to overlook him at the start of the season.
His 98 shots in the box and 52 shots on target were the highest totals among all players last term.
Meanwhile, his 33 big chances were at least six more than any other midfielder in Fantasy, bettered only by the 34 of Jamie Vardy (£10.5m) overall.
That suggests Salah can get among the goals from the off and immediately reward his owners.
Tomorrow: Toney can be standout promoted player
